Transportation-check and holder.



W. H. CARROLL.

TRANSPORTATION OHEOK AND HOLDER.

APPLIGATIoN FILED SEPT. 12, 1907.

898,630. Patented sept. 15,1908.

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ATTORN EY W. H. CARROLL. TRANSPORTATION CHECK AND HOLDER,

APPLICATION FILED vSEPT. l2, 1907.`

' Patented Sept. 15, 1908.

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INVENTOR www Sent by Return to wlTNEssEs: m33@ //W. @VW

BMZ/Mfg@ ATTORNEY ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. CARROLL, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

TRANSPORTATION-CHECK AND HOLDER.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HENRY OAR- ROLL, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Transportation- Check and Holder, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a check or tag and a holder therefor, adapted for use in checking baggage on railroads, and also adapted for general delivery purposes.

The invention has for its main object to provide a simple and efiicient device of this character which promotes convenient shipment and accurate delivery of travelers7 trunks or other baggage, and is so fully safeguarded against detachment from the baggage by persons unlawfully seeking to substitute other checks that an unusual degree of safety to the transportation company or agent is assured by the use of the improved check and holder, which furthermore, is so inexpensive that it needs to be used but once or for one sending or round, trip and may then be `cut from the baggage and thrown away or destroyed.

The invention will iirst be described and then will be particularly defined in claims hereinafter set forth.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a front face view of the improved transportation check and holder adapted for railroad use and as it appears filled out to check baggage from New York to Washington, and prior to tearing off the claim coupon to be held by the traveler. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken on the line a-a in Fig. 1 with the claim coupon detached. Fig. 3 is a reverse face view of the check and holder with the claim coupon detached. Fig. 4 is a front sectional view of upper portions of the check holder taken 0n the line b-b in Fig. 2. 'Fig 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line c-c in Fig. 3'. Fig. 6 is a front perspective view of the preferred baggage-loop catch device. Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view to the same scale as Fig. 5, but showing the loop catch fully engaged bythe primary fastening hook of the holder. Fig. 8 is avertical sectional view showing a modified arrangement of the secondary catch-locking hook. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the sheet-metal blank from Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led September 12, 1907.

Patented sept. 15, i908.

Serial No. 392,473.

which the check holder frame is made. Fig. 10 shows the blank from Which the twoleaved catch is formed. Fig. 11 is a front face view of an improved delivery tag embodying features of the invention; and Fig. 12 is a reverse face view of said delivery tag.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 7 of the drawings, the railroad baggage transportation check comprises a shipping check 1, and an attached baggage claim coupon 2, the place of separation of which may be definitely indicated by a line 3 of perforations or indentations. On the front face of the check 1 is printed the usual abbreviated title of the railroad or steamboat company carrying the passenger and his baggage, such as the Penns R. R,

and both the check and the claim coupon have the imprints Date From and To with adjacent spaces in which the baggageman writes the date and place of shipment and the destination; these as shown being "Sept 5th. 1907 New York Vashington The check and cou on also have like imprints of a serial num er which is shown as No 9999. The front face of the cheek 1 preferably bears the imprint Via in line with which the baggageman writes the name of any specially desired intermediate carrier, such as R W. & B. R. R. between the places of shipment and destination. The rear face of the check 1 also has imprints Received at Date From with adjacent spaces in which the baggageman at destination writes the name of his place, such as Washington, while opposite Date and From he writes the date of receipt shown as Sept 6th. 1907 and the place of original shipment shown as New York. Front and rear faces of the check also preferably bear imprints Remarks in the spaces adjoining which the baggageman writes Good order or Bad order indicating the generalcondition of the baggage at places of shipment and destination.

The check holder may have any form or construction adapting it to securely hold the check and the attached claim coupon, while providingl for locking the holder and check to a trunk or other piece of baggage in manner hereinafter described.

The preferred illustrated form of check holder comprises a thin but strong plate 4 which is originally'stamped or pressed from sheet metal to provide a blank shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings. This blank has top and opposite side edge flange portions 6, 7, 7, and also has a shorter bottom edge or flange portion 8 adapted to enter a slot 9 made in the check and preferably at the line of severance from it of the claim coupon 2. During stamping of the blank the metal plate 4 is transversely slit at 10, and below this slit the metal is pressed rearward to form the recessed rear wall 11 of a pocket 12 containing one or more hooks adapted to be engaged by a catch device on the baggage-engaging loop of the check holder, as hereinafter described. Below the recessed wall 11, the blank metal also is slit vertically at 13, 13, thereby providing a broad flap 14, and below this `flap the blank metal is cut away ,in manner providing a central tongue 15 which preferably projects from a broader base portion 16 which connects the tongue to the flap 14. At opposite ends of the tongue base 16 there are preferably formed notches 17, 17, which afford a more secure connection for the preferred A wire baggage loop to which is held a novel c atch device which secures the improved check and holder to the in manner hereinafter more fully described. The end of the blank tongue 15 is bent forward on the dotted line 18 and at an acute angle to form a hook 19, and then the tongue itself is bent forward on the dotted line 20, thereby forming a longer hook 21, and finally the thus bent ltongue parts with the flap 14 are all bent forward together on the dotted line 22, and the blank parts 16, 14, enter shallow recesses provided for them by outpressing portions ofthe blank as indicated by the shadedY lines in Figs. 3 and 9 of the drawings, and the holder pocket and hook parts now have relative positions shown in Figs. 2, 5 and 7 of the drawings. The inner part of the blank tongue thus forms the outside longer hook 21 which bears elastically by its extremity against the rear or outer wall 1 1 of the catchreceiving pocket 12, and the bent extremity of the blank tongue forms the above named shorter hook 19 which bears elastically on the upbent blank flap 14 which now forms the inner wall of the pocket 12. The final bending upward of the blank tongue and flap parts on the dotted line 22 completes formation in the holder plate 4, of an opening 23 through which are visible the imprints made at the place of destination on the rear face of the check 1, as shown inFig. 3 of the drawings.

Prior to the final bending or folding of the blank parts 14, 15, on the line 22,l the preferred baggage-engaging wire loop 24 is attached to the holder frame by passing its ends separately and forward through apertures 25, 25 made in the blank and the wire ends then are preferably bent to form hooks 26, 26 which are engaged with each other within the bend of the blank part 16, and the loop wire then is passed laterally into the end notches 17, 17 of said part 16, which then is pressed firmly to and around the hook-ends of the wire loop. After the blank flap 14 carrying the now formed hooks 19, 21, is finally bent forward on the line 22 and while thefianges 6, 7, 7, 8, are bent upward about at right angles to the front face of the blank, the check 1 `having' the attached coupon 2 is laid within the upturned flanges 6, 7, 7, as the flange 8 passes into the check slot 9. These flanges 6, 7, 7, 8, then are bent down flat upon and are pressed firmly to the front face of the check 1, as clearly shown in the drawings. This final pressing operation securely clamps the check 1 at opposite faces between the rear main body portion of the holder and its front face flanges 6, 7, 7, 8, and also further presses the overturned blank part 16 to the interhooked portions 26 of the loop 24, and as this loop is also engaged in the notches 17, 17 of the part 16, it will be practically impossible to pull this end of the loop from the holder. By providing the broad base 16 for the blank tongue 15, the longer hook 21 is not weakened at its root by bending the blank metal on the line 18 and pressing said part 16 to the hook ends 26 of the loop wire, and consequently both. hooks 19, 21 retain full strength and elasticity. After formation and attachment of the preferred catch device 27 to the other or free end of the wire loop 24, as hereinafter described, the check 1 with its attached coupon 2 projecting below the holder frame as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, will be complete and ready for issue by any railroad or Steamship line to its baggage-master who will hang the metal-bound checks in numerical order at the depot or dock where the baggage is to be checked to destination. To save metal and weight it is preferred to make the loop of the wire 24 as above described.

A special feature of thisA invention is the particular form and operation of the twoleaved catch device 27 which is fastened to the free end of the wire loop 24, and is adapted to coact with the two holder hooks 19, 21 in securing the loop to a piece of baggage. It is preferred to form this catch 27 of a single piece of sheet metal originally shaped as a blank 28 shown in Fig. 10 of the drawings.. This blank has opposite lateral lips or projections 29, 29 near one end and near its opposite end has a slot 30. After the outer bend of the wire loop 24 is laid across the center of the blank 28 the latter is first doubled over upon itself on the dotted line 28* and then the two lips 29 are bent over and are pressed flat upon the inner side of the catch having the slot 30, and until the ends of the overbent lips 29, 29 meet about centrally of the catch while the forward ends of said lips are about in line with the inner edge or wall of the catch slot 30. The outer bend of the wire loop .24 thus is securely fastened to the catch, as shown in Figs. 1 to 6 of the drawings. During the cutting or stamping of the blank 28, its slotted and plain opposite end parts are bent downward slightly so that after the blank is doubled upon itself and the lips 29 are pressed to the body portion of the catch to secure the wire loop 24, the forward part of the catch forms two slightly diverging leaves 31, 32, the leaf 31 having the slot 30, and the guard-leaf 32 being preferably plain or imperforate.

As thus far described the operation is as follows After the check 1 and coupon 2 are properly inscribed by the baggageman at place of shipment, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, he will tear the coupon from the check at the line 3 of perforations and will hand said coupon 2 to the baggage owner or shipper who will present this coupon at destination to there assure prop er final delivery of the baggage. The baggageman passes the holder loop 24 around or within a trunk handle, or within a strap or cord binding the baggage, and he then will simply push the catch 27 into the end opening at 10 of the holderipocket 12, with the slotted catch leaf 31 facing toward the front of the check, thereby compressing both hooks 21, 19. As the entering catch is about to strike the bottom wall of the pocket 12, the slot 30 of the catch leaf 31 passes the end of the longer hook 21, and as the catch is drawn outward its slot 3() will receive the hook 19 and will pass the upper end of said hook which springs forward again to the pocket wall 14, as the catch reaches its final outermost locked position whereat the longer hook 21 will be engaged in the slot 30 of the catch leaf 31. The other catch leaf 32 now overlies the hook 21, and guards it from being tampered with by a thin tool which possibly might be forced within the hook pocket 12. At the same time the flanges 29 of the catch 27 are overlaid by the opposing portions of the check holder frame 4, and as the ianges fill in the entire width of the catch they practically prevent inserting a flat tool next this face of the catch with a view to disengaging the slotted catch leaf 31 from the locking hooks 21, 19. This close approach ofthe catch iianges 29 to the holder frame 4, also prevents outbending or outfolding of said flanges and thus prevents disengagement of the catch from the wire loop 24, to in this way prevent removal of the check from the baggage. It is obvious that when the catch 27 is fully engaged with or by the main primary hook 2 1, this hook prevents pulling the catch outward, and should the catch be pushed inward the end of its slotted leaf 31 will pass within the auxiliary or secondary hook 19, or between the two hooks 19, 21, thereby preventing disengagement of the catch from the holder hooks.

In the simple modification shown in Fig.

S of the drawings, the primary hook 21 is not connected to the secondary hook 1.91:, which is fastened at its lower end to the pocket wall 14 and slants outward and upward until it bears upon the hook 21 at some distance from its end. Vith this construction the entering catch 27 compresses both hooks 21, 19" and the' hook 21 alone enters the catch leaf slot 30 as the catch is being drawn outward, and when the catch is drawn fully outward the end cross-bar of its slotted leaf 31 passes above the upper free end of the secondary hook 19:'f', and any attempt to push the catch fully inward, with a view to disengaging it from the hooks, will be frustrated by passage of the catch leaf 31 between the hook 19* and the inner wall 14 of the holder pocket 12. The secondary hook 1,9* is shown made of a separate piece of metal fastened to the pocket wall 14, but said hook may be formed by pressing it outward from the wall 14, during cuttingand shaping of the check holder frame blank.

ln the constructions shown in Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings, the slotted catch leaf or part 31 is engaged by the primary hook 21 and is locked against detachment from said primary hook by the secondary hook 19 or 191", the operation being substantially the same with either secondary hook notm'th standing the fact that the hook 19 slants upward and forward from the extremity of the hook 21, while the hook 19* slants upward and rearwardV from the pocket wall 14.

It is deemed desirable to show in Figs. 11 and 12 of the drawings, a private delivery tag 33 adapted for attachment by the wire loop 24 and the catch 27 to a trunk or bag or package, and made without the detachable check coupon 2'. The locking of the catch within the pocket 12 by the primary and secondary hooks is effected in manner substantially as above described for the railroad baggage check. This delivery tag 33 is metal-bound by edge flange portions of thc metal plate 34 which makes the entire tag very strong and durable so that when it is once locked to a trunk or package by the closed loop 24, it will serve both for a sending and return tag, as indicated by imprints Sent by To on one face of the tag, and Return to Address on its opposite face, with the word Paid on both faces; all with suitable adjacent spaces to be inscribed by the owner or shipper at places of shipment j or delivery. Before returning the 'baggage to which the tag 33 is attached and locked, the original Sending directions on one face of the tag will be marked out or erased,

thus leaving only the Returning7 directions on the other face of the tag.

It is intended that this improved check or tag shall be used only for one despatch of baggage by railroad or for one sending and return trip by other modes of shipment or delivery, hence the aim has been to make the entire check or tag at slight cost permitting its final and instant removal from the baggage or package by cutting the loop 24, whereupon the entire check or tag with the severed loop may be thrown away'or destroyed, or if desired thecheck may be preserved for future reference by the transportation agent.

It is obvious that any attempt to release the catch 27 from the holder hooks or from the loop 24, or any attempt to remove the paper check or tag from the metal holder or frame, would entailfsuch evident disligurement of the parts as would at once attract attention and lead to detection of criminal intent to steal the baggage or package, hence the danger of loss ofvaluable baggage by theft following substitution of checks, or by othery unlawful means, while in transit', is reduced to a minimum and the convenient and reliable handling of baggage or packages identified by the check or tag is promoted or assured.

Modifications of this invention other than herein described may be made within the scope of one or more of the appended claims, as for instance, the secondary hook 19 or 19*, may or may not be used, but its use is preferable as thereby the catch is better safeguarded against release from the holder hook 21, as will readily be understood.

1 claim as my invention 1. A transportation check and holder, comprising a slotted shipping check including a detachable claim coupon, and a holder having marginal flanges overlying the face of the check, one of said flanges being narrower than the check and entering the check slot atthe line of severance of the coupon from the check, substantially as described.

2. A transportation check holder having a pocket, a hook in said pocket, a baggage-engaging loop held at one end to the holder, and a catch device held to the other end of said loop and having two leaves, one leaf having a slot adapted to engage around the holder hook in the pocket and the other leaf being adapted to guard the catch against disengagement from the hook by a tool, substantially as described.

3. A transportation check holder having a pocket, primary and secondary hooks in said pocket, a baggage-engaging loop secured at one end to the holder, and a catch device held to the other end of said loop and having two leaves, one leaf having a slot adapted to finally engage around the primary hook in the holder pocket while the secondary hook prevents disengagement of said slotted leaf from the primary hook, the other catch leafbelng adapted to guard the catch against disengagement from the primary hook by a tool, substantially as described.

4. A transportation check holder having a pocket, a hook in said pocket, a baggage-engaging loop held to the check holder, and a catch secured at the free end of said loop and provided with a slotted inner portion adapted to be engaged by the hook within the holder pocket, said catch being formed with folded inner face portions which when the catch is engaged by the hook are overlaid by portions of the holder frame to prevent open ing of the catch folded portions for disengaging the catch from the loop and to prevent insertion of a tool for disen 'aging the catch from the hook, substantia ly as described.

5. A transportation check holder having a pocket, a hook in said pocket, a wire baggage-engaging loop held to the check holder, and a catch comprising a single piece of material doubled and retaining at its Abend the outer part of said wire loo and having laterally overbent flanges ld sides of the catch together, the two diverging ends or leaves of the catch projecting beyond said flanges, one leaf being slotted to engage the holder hook and the other leaf being adapted to guard the catch against disengagement from the hook by a tool, substantially as described. A

6. A transportation check holder having a pocket, coacting vprimary and secondary hooks in said pocket, a wire baggage-engaging loop held to the check holder, and a catch comprising a single piece of material doubled and retaining at its bend the outer part of said wire loop and having overbent flanges holding opposite sides of the catch together, the two diverging ends or leaves of the catch projecting beyond said flanges, one leaf being slotted to finally engage around the primary holder hook and the other leaf being adapted to prevent disengagement of the catch from said primary and secondary hooks by a tool, substantially as described,

7. A transportation check holder having a pocket and a hook in the pocket, said pocket being formed by transversely slitting and outpressing portions of a blank, the inner wall of said pocket with the hook being formed of portions of the blank which are first bent to form the hook and are then bent to form the inner wall of the pocket and carry the integral hook to operative positionv within the pocket with its free end closely approaching the outer wall of said pocket, substantially as described.

8. A transportation check holder having a pocket and a hook in the pocket, said pocket being formed by transversely slitting and outpressing portions of a blank, the inner wall of said pocket with the hook being formed of portions of the blank which are first bent to form the hook and are then bent to form the inner wall of the pocket and carry the integral hook to operative position within the pocket with its free end closely approaching the outer Wall of said pocket, a Wire loop device secured at one end Within the bend of the blank next the root of the hook, and a catch device held to the other end of said Wire loop and having a slotted portion adapted to be engaged and locked Within the holder pocket by the hook, substantially as described.

9. A transportation check holder having an open-ended pocket 12, and a hook 21 Within the pocket, a Wire baggage-engaging loop 24 having coupled ends confined Within the metal bend at the root of the hook, and a catch device held to the free end of the loop 24 and adapted to enter the pocket 12 and be therein engaged by the hook 21, substantially as described.

10. A transportation check holder having an op er1-ended pocket 12 and a hook 21 Within the pocket having` a root basepiece 16 provided With end notches 17, 17, a Wire baggage-engaging loop 24 having coupled ends confined Within the turned basepiece 16 and in its notches 17, 17, and a catch device held to the free end of the Wire loop 24 and adapted to enter the pocket 12 and be therein engaged by the hook 21, substantially as described.

11. A transportation check holder having an open-ended pocket 12, and a hook 21 Within the pocket, a wire baggage-engaging loo 24 having coupled ends confined Within the metal bend at the root of the hook, and .a catch device held to the free end of the Wire loop 24 and having two leaves 31, 32, the leaf 31 being slotted at 30 for final engagement with the hook 21 While the leaf 32 prevents disengagement of the catch from the hook by a tool, substantially as described.

12. A transportation check holder having an op en-ended pocket 12 and a hook 21 Within the pocket, a Wire baggage-engaging loop 24 secured Within the metal bend at the root of the hook, and a catch device formed of a metal blank having laterally extended lips 29, 29, and doubled on itself to confine the free end of the Wire loop, said lips 29 then being bent over upon one side of the catch body which has two end leaves 31, 32, the leaf 31 having a slot 30 adapted to engage the hook 21, While the leaf 32 Vrevents disengagement of the catch from t ie hook by a tool, substantially as described.

13. A transportation check holder having an open-ended pocket 12 and primary and secondary hooks 21, 19 Within the pocket, a baggage-engaging loop held at one end to the holder, and a catch device held to the other end of said loop and having tWo end leaves 31, 32, the leaf 31 being slotted at 30 for iinal engagement with the primary hook 21 While the secondary hook 19 prevents disengagement of the catch from the hooks by endWise movement of the catch and While the catch leaf 32 prevents disengagement of the catch from the hooks by a tool, substantially as described.

WILLIAM H. CARROLL itn esses z n EMANUEL I. S. HART, ALVIN K. GOODWIN. 

